Castle of the Illusionist
by SorainaSkye
Summary: C/A- There is a place that no one ever goes, a place that is said to be haunted and cursed. Those that have gone near are never seen again. When someone precious to Aerith vanishes, it is up to her and her friends to save all that they love. AU
1. The Doll

Hello! I know I shouldn't be putting up any more stories, but I couldn't resist. I had a dream, and I was inspired! Look or more info on my profile soon. And yes, this is Cloud/Aerith! Enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own FF7 or any related characters. They only thing that is mine is the story idea.

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Castle of the Illusionist

Castle of the Illusionist

Chapter One- The Doll

"I think we should turn back!"

The girl in front of her didn't answer, merely continued to push her way through the thick undergrowth.

"Yuffie...! Did you hear me!? I said that we should turn BACK!"

Still, the girl did not respond.

Throwing her long black hair out of her face, Tifa sighed, putting her hands on her hips. "We should at least take Marlene home," she murmured, knowing very well that Yuffie would hear her.

Yuffie stopped, gripping the small hand of the five-year-old girl who was looking around with wide, curious eyes. Slowly, Yuffie turned to face Tifa. Her expression was a mask of ease, covering the doubts that Tifa knew were there.

"Humph. Aerith told me to watch her, to not let her out of my sight, so I am! Besides," she said, turning away from her companion again. "YOU just want to take Marlene back so that you can sneak away and get out of doing this, like the fraidy-cat you are."

Tifa spluttered indignantly. "I –I am NOT a fraidy-cat!"

Yuffie smirked. Despite the fact that Tifa was two years older than her, she could be so easy to trick sometimes. "Nuyk, Nuyk, Nuyk." She murmured quietly, before saying so that Tifa could hear- "Fine. I suppose that I will go up by myself, and when I become famous, and get in the newspapers, you will just sit there, thinking, 'if only I hadn't been such a fraidy-cat, then I would have gone with Yuffie and I would be famous too...'" Yuffie contained her laughter with difficulty. She could practically hear Tifa's pride swelling in defiance.

"Fine. I'll come." She grabbed Yuffie roughly by the shoulder, eyes flashing, to turn her around. "Mark my words though," Tifa murmured fiercely. "Marlene should not have come with us, and if anything happens to her, you will pay for it, not only by Aerith and Zack's hands- got it?"

Yuffie snorted, turning around again. "PU-lese. If something happened to Marlene, I'd un-happen it so quick no one would know what had happened. Like I'd let her get hurt anyway. Don't you trust me?" She began walking, leaving Tifa a ways behind.

"I trust you, Yuffie." Tifa's voice was a whisper. "It's this _place_ I don't trust."

Unable to shake the feeling of uneasiness, she followed, toward the spindle-like toward that could be seen just poking over the trees farther up the mountain.

()()()()()

The Gate before them twisted; creaking slightly in the howling wind. It was iron, dirtied and rusty with the years that had passed while it stood there. It led way to a path, where dark trees and tall grass was all that could be seen, looming over the twisting footpath. In the distance, sticking out of the eerie trees like an unmarked grave in the grass was a castle, sitting on the mountainside as though it had been there for eternity-, which it very well could have been. The towers were tall and sharp, the castle itself seeming to be made with black stone. It was too far away to see any widows, and in the setting sun, no light seemed to come from the gate on- no light seemed able to touch it.

The three girls stared at it, in horrified awe.

"Who knew there was a castle here?" Yuffie muttered eyes fixed upon the gate, which seemed to be speaking as the wind roared past.

"Yeah..." Tifa suddenly gasped. "Do you hear it?" she hissed to Yuffie.

"Hear what?"

"Listen!"

Yuffie held her breath, straining her ears. Indeed, a sound came to her, beautiful, as it was haunting.

_Leave this place..._

A voice...?

_Leave...before it is too late..._

Another sound seemed to be growing, this one loud and roaring, drowning out the voice with the sound of screams- screams and cries and metal moving over metal- sounds that had no sound but seemed to be felt anyway- the sound of fear and despair, the sound of blood splattering to the floor...

"Marlene!"

Yuffie gave a start, shaking her head to see the little girl walking toward the gate. The sounds vanished immediately, left with an echo inside of her that would remain forever.

"Marlene!" Yuffie and Tifa ran at her, grabbing the little child's arms as she struggled against them.

"Yuffie!" Marlene cried. "I just want the doll!" With difficulty, due to the two older girls holding her, Marlene pointed to a small doll on the ground in front of the gate.

"Yuffie, get her the doll and let's just go back!" Tifa's voice was nearly a shriek.

"Okay," Yuffie nodded. Taking a deep breath, she stood, and walked toward the doll.

It was only a few feet from the gate, lying as though abandoned long ago. It was a beautiful doll, Yuffie supposed, picking it up. With it's golden brown hair tied back, and green eyes that seemed luminescent, (the doll reminded her of Aerith a little because of those features) and the white dress that was strapped to the body of a woman that seemed older than Yuffie, maybe as old as Shera, the doll was very beautiful. But a part Yuffie felt like dropping the doll as soon as she picked it up. A strange loneliness and despair seemed to radiate from the doll- along with a compressing feeling of being trapped with no way out. She shivered- Yuffie swore that the doll _breathed_. She handed it to Marlene with some relief, though she worried how the doll would affect the young girl.

Marlene merely giggled, clasping the doll's hand in her own. Yuffie grabbed the other, and the three girls ran from the place- though Tifa and Yuffie were unable to shake the echoes of the horrible sounds out of their souls. The run was almost all downhill, and Yuffie picked up Marlene, almost tripping in the process, so that she would not get left behind. Twisting through the trees, which suddenly seemed so ominous, they felt only relief to come to the edge of the forest at the bottom of the mountain.

Panting, standing on the road overlooking the small town, Yuffie flipped open her cell phone. "Damn," she hissed, ignoring Tifa's reproachful look and Marlene's glare at the language. "It is way to late. Aerith must be worried sick."

Tifa nodded, knowing that this could be a time for a good 'I told you so', but said nothing.

As they began walking down the road, toward where they had parked the car, she tried to strike up conversation.

"So, Marlene," Tifa said, as they approached the car. "Have you decided on a name for that doll yet?" Tifa opened the door of the car, getting in the driver's seat, despite Yuffie's pout.

"Oh!" Marlene said, as she strapped herself into the back seat. She smiled sweetly up at the two girls in the rearview mirror, hands clutching the doll to her chest.

"She told me that her name is Lucrecia!"

()()()()()

The house was small, painted a light blue, with a beautiful garden and a plastic archway over the front gate. The curtains were drawn, but light and movement came from within. From the car, Yuffie could see a pacing woman talking on the phone with large hand movements, indicating her worry and frustration.

"Well," Yuffie sighed, turning off the ignition. "It's now or never I suppose."

Tifa gave her a look that said 'We deserve to be punished, idiot.'

"Yeah, yeah. Come on Marlene, your mom's been worried sick about you." They got out of the car, shutting the doors as quietly as possible.

Yuffie took a deep breath as she stood before the door, one hand raised to grab the doorknob. Gulping, she grasped and turned it. Immediately, they were blinded by the bright light, squinting to make out Aerith's figure running toward them.

"Marlene! Oh, Marlene!" She cried, scooping the child up in her arms, sinking to her knees as relief washed over her. Tears feel down her face as the little girl hugged her back ("I'm okay momma, really!") and the little doll- Lucrecia –was still held clutched in her hand.

A man in the far corner had half-risen from his chair. He stared at the crying Aerith and the girls still standing in the doorway for a moment as though unsure what to do. He sighed in relief at the sight of Marlene, running a hand through his black hair. Deciding that Aerith would be cuddling the small girl for a while, he approached to two girls with a raised eyebrow.

"So." He said. "What happened?"

Tifa and Yuffie exchanged glances. "We drove too far out of town Zack," Yuffie muttered, looking away. "There was no reception and the car broke down."

Tifa stared at Yuffie for a moment before nodding and looking down, as though in defeat. "Yeah. We're really sorry. We didn't call when we got back because our phones were out of battery for trying so many times without reception."

"Hmmm." Zack stared at them for a minute. Then slowly, he nodded. He jerked his head toward the door which Aerith had just gone through- Marlene's room. "You should apologize to 'Rith anyway." He said, voice quiet. "She was frantic."

Yuffie and Tifa nodded vigorously, going quickly after Aerith.

They found her kneeling over Marlene's bed, stroking her hair as the little girl's eyelids fluttered. Aerith didn't look up as they approached. "Goodnight," she murmured, kissing Marlene's forehead lightly, tucking the blankets securely around her. Marlene yawned, bringing the doll closer to her cheek as her eyes closed. "Goodnight...momma..." she muttered, slipping into sleep.

"Hm." Aerith wiped at a stray tear making it's way down her cheek. Slowly, she walked to the window, through which the stars could now be seen. Her hands clasped at her chest. "Thank you," she murmured finally, turning with shimmering eyes to the two girls in the doorway. She smiled with such warmth and love that Tifa and Yuffie felt staggered for a moment. Aerith was a beautiful woman- but she had never looked so beautiful as she did to them at that moment. "Thank you," Aerith murmured again. "For keeping her safe."

The girls looked away, unable to bear such gratitude in her eyes. "Yeah..." they murmured. "No problem..."

Aerith shook her head, dropping her hands. "Where did she find that doll?"

"Side of the road..." Yuffie muttered.

"Hmm." Aerith nodded thoughtfully. Without another word, she came forward to hug the two girls, not much younger than herself. She said nothing, but held them for a moment. She stood back, smiling at them again. "Now," she said. "I know I'm not the only parent that must be worried sick. You two had better head home." Tifa and Yuffie followed her out the door.

Zack was looking out the window at the deserted street. He glanced over as they approached. "I called the police," He said. "Told them that everything was fine now."

"Thanks," Aerith murmured. He nodded.

Yuffie paused at the door, waving at them without turning around. "Bye," Tifa called, following Yuffie as she walked down the path to the car.

When they reached the car they both stopped, turning around to look back at the house.

Aerith stood in the doorway, smiling at them. Zack was behind her, his arms encircling her shoulders. She clasped them thankfully.

The girls could not shake the feeling of fear and trepidation- the feeling that something bad was going to happen. Shaking her head, Tifa got into the driver's seat, Yuffie in the passengers.

"They do look like a great couple," Tifa said, trying to draw their attention to something else that was on their minds as of late.

"Yeah. Their wedding two years ago was cool."

"Mmm-hmm."

"And they're best friends."

"Yeah." Tifa turned the wheel as they came to the road they lived on. The car stopped in front of the house that they shared, and would share, until Yuffie could get her own.

"Too bad they know that they're not in love with each other huh?"

"Yeah..." Tifa sighed. "I suppose it could be worse. I mean, Marlene never called Zack 'Daddy'. It won't really affect her at all."

"Uh-huh. That _is_ a good thing." Yuffie blew strands of her short black hair out of her eyes. "I suppose everyone will be happier in the long run, even if it makes things awkward now."

Tifa nodded. "Do you know when the divorce papers get drawn up?"

()()()()()

Moonlight filtered through the window, falling on the child with an ivory light. Slowly she sat up, eyes only half open, dangling her feet over the side of her bed. The little doll that was clutched in her hand seemed to be speaking, so softly that no one but the little girl seemed to hear. The girl nodded, placing her feet lightly on the floor. Quietly, slowly, she began walking to the doorway.

She walked past the open door where her adoptive mother lay, sound asleep on the bed, one shoe still on. The girl walked past Zack in the guest room, past the bathroom and the couch in the living room. Slowly the girl came to the door that would lead outside.

"Okay Lucrecia," she whispered, eyes still half-closed. Her little hands grabbed the doorknob, turning it soundlessly. For a moment she stood illuminated in the doorway, her shadow being cast faintly on the carpet beneath her bare feet. She slipped on the pale mesh shoes that sat by the door, without looking at what she was doing. She stared at the huge mountain that towered above the city. Her eyes flickered over it, searching.

"I see. Alright, let's go..."

With that, the girl began walking toward the mountain, and the castle that sat upon it.

In the darkness, she could hear, and everyone that was dreaming could hear, faintly, such was the emotion behind it, the whisper of a small doll that was clutched in the little girl's fist.

_I'm so sorry...Marlene..._

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There ya go. I've already started on the second chapter, which might be up later today or tommorow. To clarify a few things, Yuffie is 18, Tifa is 20 and Aerith is 22. She and Zack have been married two years, and Aerith adopted Marlene after Barret dissappeared.

Hope you all liked!

Reviews make me smile inside :)


	2. Journey and Intentions

This chapter is where things start to get interesting. More characters are introduced, and we get some insight into the doll Marlene picked up, as well as the master of the castle.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own FF7 or the song 'You'll be in my Heart' by Phil Collins.

Enjoy!

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Chapter Two

Journey and Intentions

The sunlight glittered on the small patch of carpet that was not covered by the rug. The curtains fluttered a little, and the sleeping lump on the bed shifted, rolling over and landing on the floor. "Ooof!" the jumbled blankets quivered, and a small head covered with short black hair peeked out. With a great yawn, Yuffie snaked her way out of the covers, shaking her head blearily like a dog shaking water out of it's hair.

BRRRRING!

"AHH!" Yuffie flew into the air, grabbing her bedpost as though holding on for dear life. An equally shocked Tifa ran past, her hair frizzy and matted.

A few seconds later, Yuffie heard her picking up the phone.

"Hello? Oh, hi Aeri- what? Aerith, what's wrong?" Yuffie's head perked up, a frown creasing her face.

"No, she's not here...oh god, we'll be there right away!" There was a click as Tifa slammed the phone on the hook.

"Yuffie!" she screamed. Pattering feet sounded, and Tifa was standing in her doorway, panting and with worried eyes.

"Marlene's missing."

()()()()()

Aerith paced up and down the length of the living room. She paused in her step, clasping her hands together, bending her head.

"A few people reported that they saw a small girl making her way toward the forest at the base of the mountain." The officer read down his notes.

Aerith inhaled sharply, eyes widening, turning to look at the officer, who continued reading his notes, oblivious.

"...brown hair, white dress, carrying something small...like-"

"A doll..." Aerith finished for him, her voice a whisper. Zack glanced at her stricken face, rounding on the officer.

"You're sure of these words? Why would these people have not reported a little girl walking toward _that place_ by herself, at night?"

The officer shifted uncomfortably. "Well, there was a power outage last night sir, some lines were damaged by some kind of animal..." he trailed off, seeing the look on Zack's face. He cleared his throat. "And, well, to be frank, many people in this town are rather superstitious- a young child walking there by herself at night? Many wouldn't have dared to look at her, let alone approach her."

Aerith sighed, nodding. The door burst open and she turned, half-hoping, half wondering.

Tifa and Yuffie stood in the doorway, panting, with wide eyes. They stared at Aerith who ran toward them, taking their hands in her own.

"She went into the forest, up the mountain..." Aerith whispered, her eyes pleading.

Tifa and Yuffie's faces went pale. "The...forest...?" Yuffie murmured, her mouth opening in horror. "The...mountain...?" Tifa trailed off, sharing a look with Yuffie. She was shaking, horrified. Tifa closed her eyes for a moment before nodding. Yuffie nodded too, unable to look in Aerith's eyes. "Of course... we'll go with you."

Aerith bent her head, murmuring thanks, before straitening up.

Tifa and Yuffie glanced at each other, feeling sick. Heavy guilt lay within their eyes, and the determination to set things right.

"Thank you for everything, officer, Zack," Aerith said, smiling briefly and inclining her head to each in turn. "Now, if you'll excuse me," she turned, walking down the hall to her room, emerging with a long silver staff clutched in one hand, materia in the other. She slipped a few in the slots on the rod, placing the rest in a pouch around her waist. "Do you have what you need?" She asked the two girls, grabbing a red jacket off of the coat rack and sliding it on her shoulders. Tifa nodded, putting on here black gloves with the metal knuckle, while Yuffie said, "My stuff's in the car." Aerith nodded.

Zack was gaping at her. "Hold on a second!" He demanded, coming toward her. "You can't possibly be planning on going there!"

Aerith's eyes flashed to him, and there was such a determination there that Zack couldn't help but deflate slightly for a moment. He regained himself. "Please, Aerith think this through. You can't help Marlene if you die!" He grasped her shoulders. She met his gaze levelly.

"I won't die." Her voice was quiet. "I _can't_ die, not now." She stared him down, with the power of her eyes. "Please understand that, Zack."

"Aerith..." He sighed. "Can't you let the police handle it? Or me?"

Aerith shook her head, and for the first time there was anger in her eyes.

"Marlene may not be my daughter by blood, but in every way that counts, she IS my child. And I will not stop until I have found her."

Zack stared at her for a minute, ignoring the officer that glanced back and forth at them. A small smirk came on his face, and Aerith smiled in response. "I know I can't convince you otherwise when you're like this," Zack said, lightly pretending to punch her jaw. She giggled, pretending to slap his face.

"Thank you," she said sincerely. "I'll let you know, somehow, if I need you."

"You do that," Zack said, laughing a little. "Or I might just come without you asking."

Aerith nodded, smiling again. A tear escaped her eye and she wiped at it, giving Zack a tight hug. "Thank you...for being my friend."

Zack nodded into her hair. "Hey, no problem. I'll always be your friend."

They stepped away from each other, and at the door Zack smiled, waving with two fingers, playfully mocking.

Aerith stared back at her home for a moment, before smiling and waving back, and getting into the backseat of the car.

To begin their journey.

()()()()()

_Almost..._

The little voice reached her as easily as though she was whispering in her ear. Marlene gazed ahead, and could see, flickeringly, the ghost of a woman leading her along. She looked just like Lucrecia, with her hair and shimmering eyes, though unlike the doll, Marlene couldn't touch the shadowy form.

_That is me, as I once was. My spirit resides in this doll, but a part of me will always remain here...perhaps, if you watch, you will learn something... _

"Like what?" Marlene whispered, making her way through the twisting trees as she had with Yuffie and Tifa before.

_Like how I came to be this way...but what you see from this point on may frighten you, child...but you cannot turn back. You've been caught in his snare now, though hopefully he won't know..._

"Your son?" Marlene stopped, staring at the gate, which loomed over her.

_This castle is full of illusion, but much is real and true as well. And that fact is one of those things. Yes, my son, master of this castle...Are you ready?_

Marlene nodded. "Yeah..." She paused, looking at the ground. "Lucrecia?"

_Yes...?_

Marlene fumbled with the fabric of her dress, biting her lip. "Everything will- momma won't- everything will be alright, won't it?"

The doll seemed to sigh, and the ghostly form of the woman Lucrecia had once been looked back, and smiled sadly at the child.

_That is in your mother's hands now. But I hope so...I truly hope so, little one..._

()()()()()

The sun was high in the sky now. Aerith looked up at it, almost absentmindedly.

"Aerith...do you think she'll be at that...tower, thing?" Yuffie gazed into the distance, at the tower, which she had tried in vain to not think about.

Aerith nodded. "Yes...I- I _feel_ it, inside me...she is there..." She glanced back at the other two, who were wearing very worried expressions.

"Don't you...find it odd," Tifa began, as they started on their way once more. "That there is a tower in the middle of all this?"

"No..." Aerith murmured. "Not particularly. No one that enters here has come out again, and you can't see the tower from the town. There might even be a castle..."

"Oh." Tifa bent her head, looking away for a minute. "Yeah..."

Yuffie sighed. "At least the monsters we've run into have been easy to beat...it would be just our luck to run into a tonberry here...or a cactar."

"True..." Their pace was very swift, not a run, but faster than a jog. Their rests were few and far in-between, but Aerith still felt that it wasn't fast enough.

An involuntary shiver stole over her, and she craned her neck, looking around.

"Are you okay?" Her friends asked, slowing for a moment as they stared at her in concern. Aerith nodded, smiling, trying to shake it off.

"I just had a weird feeling that's all...like someone's watching us..."

()()()()()

He stared coldly at the scene before him, the pool in the basin which he stood over.

"She's coming. Her daughter may be under protection, but _she_ is not..." He smirked. Glancing around the darkened room, he met a pair of bright blue eyes that were staring at the face in the pool, as though unable to look away.

He chuckled. "Foolish scum," he spat, "But I suppose this means that you will do you job well, then? She won't move forward."

The blue eyes flicked to him, their expression blank. They moved back to the pool, and a strange emotion seemed to be fighting it's way into them.

He laughed again. "Very good. Drown her in the darkness, for then she will be here forever...as you are."

The eyes flicked to him, and this time there was anger- fierce anger that seemed to reverberate throughout the dark room. Without another word, the owner of the blue eyes turned and left- the only sound being the flapping of wings...

The man left in the room smirked again. Oh yes, the darkness would consume them all...

()()()()()

The grass towered over her, so long that the blades curled down, brushing her forehead as she walked beneath them. Marlene shivered, disliking the feeling, as though fingers were pulling at her skin. She clutched Lucrecia even tighter as she continued to walk along. A black shape lined in red flew over them, and she jumped, a scream rising to her throat.

_It's okay...he's not going to bother you._

Marlene nodded, gulping. "Why isn't anything bothering me...?" She whispered, eyes darting around the darkening path.

_I know a fair bit about illusion...most of these poor souls are far too lost to notice you here. They will only react if they get a direct order from...him..._

"Oh...and your son still doesn't know I'm here?"

_Not yet. It may be inevitable for him to discover you though. But if the need arises, I have help ready._

Marlene nodded shakily. "Okay. I trust you, Lucrecia..."

The darkness seemed like a void, ready to consume them all. Marlene tried to bite back the fear at the sight of it, the darkening path that was before her, but somehow could not do it. "Lucrecia..." She murmured.

_Yes...?_

"Will you...sing, for me? My momma does it, to help me not be scared."

_I only know one lullaby...but, very well._ The voice seemed to clear her throat.

_Come stop your crying...it will be all right...come, take my hand, hold it tight..._

_I will protect you from, all around you..._

"I will be here, don't you cry..." Marlene sang softly, voice shaking. "That's what my momma sang..." her mouth moved with the familiar words, as Lucrecia sang them.

_Because you'll be in my heart, no matter what they say._

_You'll be here in my heart..._

"Always..." Marlene whispered. She wiped at the tears that fell like a waterfall down her face. "Thank you," she said. "I do feel better now."

_I'm glad..._

The darkness seeped over them, and Marlene gasped a little. "I can't see anything!"

_You're eyes will adjust a little, but overall, I will have to guide you. Can you see my outline?_

Marlene nodded. "Okay..."

_Just follow me..._

She had to squint, but she could see the still shimmering form of Lucrecia, faintly glittering in the dark. A twig snapped, and the air shattered at the sound.

_No!_

Marlene could hear voices, so many voices, and growls and footsteps...the ghostly Lucrecia vanished and she was left in the dark. "Lucrecia!" She cried, running and stumbling upon the uneven ground.

_He knows! Run Marlene!_

Her breath came in pants, picking herself up as she tripped again. "Help!" she cried. "Momma!" She was sobbing, she could feel blood flowing down her legs, and sharp branches pulled at her cheeks and clothes...

The ground fell beneath her, and she screamed, falling...

_Vincent! Save her!_

She fell into the darkness,

()()()()()

The scream cracked through the air.

"Marlene!" Aerith gasped, forgetting everything else and running pell-mell toward the gate that had seemed to rise before them.

She paid the gate no mind, nor her friends and their cries. Her staff was gripped tightly in one hand, the other pushing an assortment of plants out of her way. Creatures of every size and shape were running at her, but she just ran faster.

Something black and red and blue loomed over her, swooping down...

And everything was dark.

* * *

There we go! The next chapter is mapped out in my head, and it will be very sweet...but sad, too. Cloud will make more of an appearence (yes, that was him with the 'blue eyes'. ) as we learn a little about his motives in all of this.

Reviews:

greensally: Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. I wrote more, and I hope you are satisfied. (For now)

That's all so far- keep in mind, reviews, favorites, and alerts inspire me to write faster.

They make me smile inside :)

And for those who haven't yet, check out my other FF7 stories, all about C/A or Y/V, even some R/T.

Catch ya on the flip side-

AerithHeartilly


	3. Dancing in the Stars

* * *

Hey! Here's teh next chapter. Due to the fact that I am behind on my other stories, this one won't be updated until I update them. But I will finish quickly because...SCHOOL IS OUT! I tried to be romantic and sweet in this chapter...but there is plenty of sadness too. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Three

Dancing Among the Stars

Her eyelids fluttered, then opened.

She seemed to be laying down, but there was no ground. Nor sky. Carefully, she spread her fingertips, searching with a blind hand for some sort of ground. There seemed to be substance, as far as an arm's length from her body, at least. She squinted, turning her head various ways, trying in vain to see in the complete darkness. It occurred to her then, that she ought to be afraid. But no fear rose within her, not of this place or the darkness. There merely seemed to exist a faint curiosity- and an overwhelming need to find her daughter safe. Licking her lips, she cleared her throat, the sound seeming almost too loud as it escaped her lips.

"Hello?" Aerith called, noting that her voice seemed to carry no echo. "Is anyone there?"

Aerith bit her lip, wondering vaguely if she was blind, dismissing the thought almost immediately. Taking a deep breath, she cried as loud as she could- "MARLENE!" Once again, there was no sound, not even an echo from her shout.

For the first time, she felt a little afraid.

Trying to shake it off, she felt carefully around herself, making sure that there was something to stand on, and stood up. With a start, she realized that she did not have her staff; she must have dropped it, somewhere in the darkness...

Aerith looked around again futilely. There simply seemed to be nothing in this place, wherever it was. But then a faint sound reached her ears, a minute tinkling, like keys hitting each other, and a faint whooshing like that of a robin's wings...

And somewhere, light seemed to be coming.

It was faint, delicate, easy to shatter or extinguish with more darkness, but it plowed on, resilient. The sounds grew a little in volume, and Aerith turned, realizing that they were coming from behind her. A dark shadow was walking toward her, odd in shape, but obviously humanoid. Something seemed to be sticking out of one side...a wing? And the clothes the shape wore were loose- something like a cloak fluttering about it as it came toward her. But as it approached, Aerith became aware of one thing only- the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen.

They literally glowed- she didn't know how that was possible, but it didn't matter. They were glorious, shining with a strength and will that nearly took her breath away. But there was a terrible sadness there too...a great and awful sadness, that was just held back by a dam of indifference. The sadness was in itself, more beautiful and horrible than anything Aerith had ever seen- the sadness was like flames eating him up inside. But as he came ever closer, she noticed that that sadness seemed to dim, replaced by something that seemed almost...bittersweet. But he did not look away from her, seeming almost entrapped, as she knew she was. He stopped; a foot away from her, and through her peripheral vision, Aerith took notice of the rest of him.

His hair was a starling golden, standing up in spiky disarray and framing his face. His eyes, and bit of the bridge of his nose was all that she could see of his face, a deep crimson flap that seemed to be part of a cloak obscured the rest. A shoulder pad peeked through the crimson mass, and one hand was encased in a golden claw-like gauntlet. Aerith couldn't help but widen her eyes slightly in shock, as she was the black wing that twisted a little as he moved, coming from his back and right shoulder. It looked faintly like a bat's wing, and though slightly menacing, she only felt surprise and wonder at seeing it. He was fairly tall, and she looked up, into his face yet again.

Slowly, never taking his eyes away from her own, he unsheathed his sword, laying it gently on the 'ground' at their feet. He straightened, his cloak flapping, the sound raising Aerith from her jumbled thoughts.

"What is this place? What's going on? Where's Marlene? I need to find-" She stopped, seeing that for a moment, the sadness in his eyes threatened to overflow. Swallowing, she whispered- "Where is this place?"

The man stared at her. Then, slowly, he pointed upward with his gauntleted hand. Aerith looked up, and found the source of the light that had come so gently.

"The stars...?" She whispered, looking back at him again.

He nodded, gently, still not taking his eyes off hers. Slowly, he extended his gloved hand toward her, fingertips pointing toward the sky. He waited, showing that he wanted her to take his hand. Her eyes flicked up to his face, and back down to his hand for a moment. Aerith knew very well that perhaps this man meant to kill her, but she was not afraid of him at all, instead she felt a strange, burning curiosity about him- a need to understand who he was, and to be with him.

Aerith Closed her eyes for a moment, before grasping his outstretched fingers in her own; the gloves were surprisingly war, though the temperature in this place was neither warm nor cold- there seemed to be no temperature at all.

The gloved hand curled around hers, pulling her forward a little. She stumbled, her feet feeling strangely leaden for a moment before she began walking with him. His grip on her tightened for a second, and Aerith glanced at him, seeing for the first time that he wasn't looking at her, but looking ahead, at whatever path they were taking. Feeling her eyes on him he looked around. For a moment his eyes seemed to smile sadly.

"Don't be afraid," He whispered, voice deep and resonating in the semi-darkness.

Aerith shook her head, staring in confusion. Why would she be afraid? Fear was certainly one emotion that she wasn't feeling right now.

He began walking again, and Aerith was unable to take her eyes off of his face. "Where are you taking me?" She whispered, staring at him. "Can you help me find Marlene...?" When he didn't answer Aerith found her voice rising in desperation. "Please, please help me! I have to find her!" She begged, gripping the man's hand even tighter as tears began to fall from her eyes. "Please!" The man stopped, quite suddenly.

He was frozen, standing as though locked in position, staring straight ahead as though willing himself to go forward. He began to tremble, violently, as though great pains were racking his body, his hand gripping hers ever more tightly. He turned, glowing eyes meeting hers in a stare that pushed out all of her thoughts. Aerith felt her eyes widen as he took a step forward, still staring at her, rising into the air as though ascending invisible stairs. Without thought, she stepped forward too, lifting her foot as though there was a step beneath her. Vaguely surprised, she found herself standing on the same level as him, still staring deep into his wondrous, broken, eyes.

They ascended like that, up a stairway that perhaps existed, perhaps did not. Hand in hand they climbed up, to the starry heavens that provided the only light that could be seen. They never faltered, never wavered, going up, turning when needed, and pausing if necessary. Finally, they stood as if on a pinnacle, surrounded on all sides by stars, so that no black space was without. Unthinkingly, Aerith reached for his clawed hand, feeling faint surprise when he drew away. Furrowing her brow, she saw something like fear in his eyes and a laugh escaped her. It was a sparkling sound, but deadened, with no echo to swirl it through the fiery cosmos, which surrounded them.

"It's alright," she murmured, ever so softly. "You won't hurt me."

His eyes widened a little, flicking down to her fingers, still reaching for the gauntlet with its sharp edges, and then back up to her face. Aerith saw the unwilling fear there- the fear that he would tear at this creature like which he had never touched before, that he might snap the stem of the flower that stood before him- smiling. Hesitantly, like a child which was waiting for a scolding, he gripped her fingers lightly with the gauntlet, closing his eyes as though in contentment.

He opened them, and it was then that Aerith forgot about why she was there, it was then that she forgot about Marlene and the friends she had left behind; forgot about the lives and people waiting outside, forgot of her reasons and wonderings, forgot why she had wanted to know where she was. She stared into his eyes and knew one thing- she wanted to stay here. She wanted to 'know' him. She wanted to see his eyes for all eternity.

Still holding both of her hands, he stepped back, bringing her with him. He stepped to the side, and she followed. He stepped forward again, and Aerith quickly moved her feet, lest they be stepped on. He glanced at her shyly, apologetically, and Aerith understood.

He released one of her hands, gently flicking her wrist out as he spread out one arm to his right. She followed the movement, slowly flinging out her other arm as she spun away from him. He pulled her back toward him, and she spun in, grabbing his shoulder in one hand, removing the other from his to grasp his waist. He mimicked her movements- hand on opposite shoulder and waist, stepping forward again.

She followed, and just like that, they were dancing- the stars sparkling around them like flowers of heaven raining from above.

They danced; slowly, at first, gaining their bearings, learning each other's movements and steps. Then they danced faster, sinuous, the music being that of their hearts and mingled breathing, soft, still in the ever-silent night. A star flew by above them, as a bridge, and they spun, moonlighting the moonless night as an enigma in the empty, mysterious world.

He stepped on her feet at least once, and she perhaps bumped him to roughly while moving, but it hardly mattered, and neither took notice. They didn't speak, and found no need for it. They felt no tiredness, though they knew it would come all too soon. For now they held it at bay as they discovered- each other, themselves, and the beauty of the stars when shared with another.

Aerith spun out, and in her pant she felt the first pang of fatigue, her arm splaying to the heavens still above them as though to catch a falling star, spinning back in as he pulled, gently. She spun, slowly, more than before, not grabbing his waist when she returned. Instead she stopped, hand held lightly against the fabric covering his chest, head tilted upward into his now surprised, melancholy, beautiful face. His eyes softened, as she gazed at him, her breathing now heavy, wing curling gently over them, as though hiding them from view. One of her hands gripped his arm, the other still on his chest. His hands sat on her waist, and they stared at each other, breathing more softly as the moments passed. He tilted his head a little to one side, and her fingers strayed to where his heart beat, counting each and concentrating until her own beat with his. His breath caught, and for a glorious moment, Aerith was sure that he was smiling.

It was then, seeing the glint of a smile in his sad eyes- that she fell in love with him.

But then it was gone and they simply stood there, neither willing to move. Finally he spoke again, voice quiet. Aerith strained to hear him, his voice like that which she longed to hear.

"Aerith," he said, and her name from his lips nearly made her gasp. She could not keep the smile from flowing across her face. A question came to her lips though, and she spoke it without thought:

"How do you know my name...?"

"Hn." A slight chuckle seemed to escape him, and he began walking, turned, moving his arms to grip her shoulders, her dropping to his waist. "I know everything about you," he said finally, and there was a bittersweet smile in his voice.

Aerith gaped at him for a second, green orbs staring up at him. "How...?"

He shook his head, and she let it drop.

Clearing her throat she tried a new tack- though curious, it was more that she wanted him to keep speaking that she asked these questions. "Where are we?"

He shrugged a little, still walking. "Everywhere, nowhere. It doesn't really matter."

"No, I suppose it doesn't," Aerith murmured, looking down at their feet and smiling.

He made a noise of confusion, staring down at her. She looked up, feeling his gaze. "Well," she said, tilting her head to one side. "I'm with you. So it doesn't really matter."

He said nothing, merely glanced away.

"Hey," she began. "Will I fall if I let go of you?" He jumped a little at her question. "I don't know," he muttered. He still didn't look at her.

Aerith fought to keep smiling. "Well, I suppose I'll have to find out. Catch me if I fall?"

It worked; he looked at her, eyes wide with an emotion that she couldn't quite place. Slowly, he nodded. She smiled, unwinding her arms from around his waist and stepping away, feeling his arms, though they slipped off of her, hang in the air as though unwilling to let her go. She didn't glance back, though she too wanted to rush back to him. She bent, ripping the boots off of her feet. They tumbled through the air, landing some distance away, the sound muffled. Aerith spread her arms out, palms up, and spun, feeling her dress flare about around her as she turned.

She smiled a little, liking the feeling, as though there was wind in this unnatural place. A laugh escaped her as she spun around again, spinning to a stop, grinning at him. He stood there, having not moved an inch from where she had left him. The expression on his face made her smile fall- he looked so scared and unsure- so fragile, that she berated herself for leaving him for even a moment. And yet there was this thinly veiled need in his eyes- want, as he looked at her. But it was quickly quashed by sadness. He averted his eyes.

Blinking back tears, she stepped, lightly, hesitantly, toward him. She stretched out her arm in front of her, lightly brushing his shoulder. He looked back at her for a split second- and she saw a profound relief that astounded her before he looked away again.

She dropped her hand so that it was held in his again; wordlessly, they began walking.

"So," Aerith said, swinging their twined fingers gently. "Who are you?"

He said nothing for several moments. When she looked back, afraid that her question might have hurt him in some way, she saw that he was gazing ahead, apparently lost in thought. Finally he spoke:

"I am no one." His tone was calm, almost nonchalant.

Aerith blinked in confusion. "What do you mean? Of course you are someone!" She stopped, staring incredulously up into his face. He had gone very pale; he looked stricken. When he spoke, his voice was a whisper.

"Not yet. Please..." He whispered. "Just a little longer, okay?"

Aerith stared at him for a very long moment. Slowly, she nodded. "Okay." She looked down for a moment. "Forgive me, but I have another question. I wanted to know your name before I asked it...but..." She sighed, softly. "All the same, I won't ask it just yet." She smiled up at him, keeping the tears that threatened to spill within her eyes.

They resumed walking, and the walk was in silence. Both were lost in thought, but at the same time, hyper-aware of the other. Occasionally, Aerith would bring herself closer to him, lean her head on his shoulder. And sometimes, he would tighten his grip on her hand, and she felt that perhaps he was smiling again- if sadly. The stars still sparkled, but with a far more dim, almost like the stars were reading their emotions and dwindling in their sadness.

Finally, Aerith spoke again.

They stopped, and she turned so that she was in front of him, staring at her feet. Her hands were pressed up against his arms. "I have another question...and this one matters a lot to me so please...answer honestly." She took a deep breath, before looking up, tears shining in her eyes like crystals.

"Can I...stay with you?"

His eyes widened, his breath halting. "Wh-what?"

Aerith took another deep breath. "Can I stay...with you?" A tear escaped, and fell, falling down her cheek slowly.

He raised his hand, wiping at it, stopping the crystallized water on his fingertip. His hand lingered at her cheek, brushing it with the lightest of touches. He closed his eyes as he touched her, as though reveling in it, his hand beginning to tremble. Aerith closed her eyes too, enjoying the feeling of his fingers on her cheek.

When he opened his eyes, the look in them was so heartbreaking, Aerith felt new tears start in her eyes. He was shaking. He took a step back from her, as though in fear.

"Don't..." He began, voice cracking. "Don't say that..." He took another step back from her, eyes glittering more than ever in his surge of emotion. "Please..." He took a shaky breath. "Don't..."

Aerith stared at him, her mouth open very slightly. Her arm reached out for him in vain, tears falling gently down her face. She stepped toward him and he lost it, crying out-

"DON'T!" He screamed, falling to his knees, hands gripping his skull as though afraid the contents would spill out. He was gasping, breaths rattling and uneven as he trembled. "Don't say...that...please..." He gasped, crouching even lower on the floor. "Don't..."

Aerith fell to her knees too. "Why...?" She breathed, one hand still reaching out for him. "If you don't...want me...tell me, and I can go!" her voice cracked on the last word as another onslaught of tears began to fall. He looked up sharply at her words.

He seemed almost angry. "How can you say that...?" He said, voice growing in volume as he spoke. "You...sitting there, like a flower, smiling and touching, laughing..." His voice broke for a moment, and then grew again. "How could I _not_ want you?!" He stood up and gave a powerful snort, pacing up and down.

"You! You with your friends and your life and your daughter!" He stopped suddenly, turned away from her. "Your daughter..." He whispered. He shook himself. "You have a daughter to save, a life to live. A _husband_ waiting for you at home." He turned back toward her, falling to his knees in front of her. "That is why you can't stay here, Aerith! You have a life!" His voice cracked again. "This was all done to keep you here, this illusion, but you have to go! You can't stay- you _can't_!"

Aerith stared at him for a very long time; tears frozen on her face as everything she had forgotten came rushing back to her. The circumstances changed a little, but she still wanted... When she spoke, her voice was slow. "I thought...you said you knew everything about me?"

He blinked, completely thrown by her words.

"I have a husband, yes. But not for long. We're getting a divorce- we never loved each other. I know now it wasn't even close to...the real thing..." She smiled a little at him, blushing. "I know, now, I can't stay here. Not when my daughter is out there but..." She paused. "Illusion or not, I feel the same. I can't stay so I ask- come with me. Please..." Aerith reached out her hand to him again.

He stared at her. "I deceived you, kept you here rather than looking for your daughter..."

Aerith shook her head. "I don't blame you; I'm glad I met you." She smiled more brightly. "Besides...Marlene needs a father."

He gaped at her- Aerith could see his resolve weakening, his desire to come overriding what he saw as sense. "But I..." He began. "I'm not..."

She shook her head. "No buts. Please, whatever your name is. I want you to come with me." Aerith paused, looking down for a moment in shyness. "I..._need_ you to come with me." She looked up and smiled at him again.

When he spoke his voice was very quiet. "Cloud. I'm Cloud."

Aerith nodded, scooting closer to him. She smiled, and she wanted to touch his face as he had touched hers. "Please...come with me, Cloud."

He stared at her, eyes wide and hardly daring to hope that this flower wasn't lying, wouldn't leave without him...

"Let's go, Cloud..."

He reached for her hand. Their fingertips brushed, but before he could grasp them, Aerith found herself tumbling once again into darkness.

* * *

Hee. Another cliffhanger. Next chapter starts with Cloud, then switches to Aerith. No, he didn't go with her, she was pulled out of the illusion before he could. I tried to make this as romantic as possible, with lots of sadness and drama, so feel free to critique me on that. )

Eventually, I'll be doing this scene in Cloud's POV as a one-shot.

Reviews:

AerithGast88- Thank you! I'm glad you feel that way.

greensally- Thanks for reviewing again. Glad you love it ;)

Princess of the Knight- I'm glad that I acheived 'mysterious' and that you like it so far. Hope you like this update.


	4. Illusion of the Mind

Hey! Sorry it took so long for me to update this...I blame real life, writer's block, NaNoWriMo, and the fact that another fandom absorbed me into it's clutches, demanding that I write a story for it. Don't worry, I'm not giving up on this story, and once I finish my FullMetal Alchemist one, I will make updates happen faster. Seriously, I am REALLY sorry. I also updated one of my other clerith chapter fics- Piece of Me. Check it out if you want. :) Oh, and this has some fairly graphic scenes in it...more graphically implied, anyway. It's not horrible, but it is somewhat...well, yeah....

DISCLAIMER: Better than owning FF7, I am Sephiroth! Fear me! MUWHAHAHAHA!

Don't sue insane, fictional, evil, video game characters. They don't like it.

Oh, and I apologize ahead of time for the cliffhanger ending. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Four

Illusion of the Mind

Cloud screamed. It was a baring of his throat, tearing and wild it escaped him as he lunged at the empty space where Aerith had been moments before. His hands gripped the ground uselessly.

"Damn you, Sephiroth!" He screamed, voice coarse, feeling a salty, stinging wetness falling down his cheeks. "_Damn_ you!" Cloud pounded his fists on the ground, his gauntlet making a ringing sound in the air.

"Why, Cloud," A cold voice resonated from the darkness. "You've never been so outspoken before."

Cloud flipped his head around, nostrils flared and pupils dilated. "AAGGGH!" He yelled, lunging for the silver-haired man a few feet away. He hit nothing.

"Honestly Cloud," Sephiroth's voice said from behind him. Cloud swiped at that image too, only to have it dissipate before he got close. The voice spoke again, this time from beside him. "You know better than that," The master of illusions said.

Cloud growled low in his throat, blue eyes almost black with their fury.

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "All that darkness in your heart, and you couldn't hold her. I suppose I put too much faith in your obsession with her..." Sephiroth gave a heavy sigh, his smile sardonic. "I thought that was what you wanted, Cloud. For her to be with you forever..." His voice was lilting, taunting. "But in the end, you were too weak. I should have known."

Cloud snarled, baring his teeth like they were fangs. "You know nothing of what I want!"

Sephiroth waved a hand almost airily. "I suppose it doesn't matter."

"You manipulated me! You made sure that I saw only what you wished me to see! Making me think that she had a husband to go home to, so that I would keep her here selfishly!" Cloud's voice rose, becoming a roar.

Sephiroth snorted. "I didn't manipulate you," he sneered. "I _controlled_ you. I always control you." Sephiroth smirked. "After all...you are just a _puppet_."

"No!" Cloud's voice was a howl now. "I won't let you hurt her, Sephiroth, do you hear me?!?" He lunged again.

Sephiroth raised both his eyebrows this time. "You don't have any choice in the matter. And if you did, you'd be too late. Rufus is on his way."

Cloud's face paled. "_No..._" He whispered, voice cracking. Sephiroth gave a cold smirk and vanished. Cloud grabbed at him again, falling to his knees, shaking. His hands griped the side of his face. "No!" he screamed.

"NOOO!"

~(~)~(~)~(~)~(~)~(~)~

Aerith's eyelids fluttered.

Her head swam. Sounds and smells all blended together, and for a moment she was looking at a swirl of colors. Gradually, the sounds began to make sense.

"-rith! Aerith!"

Hands were shaking her. Blinking, a name escaped her lips: "Cloud?"

The hands paused. "No...Aerith, it's us." Two worried faces came into focus; both black haired, young faces. Her friends.

"Tifa...? Yuffie...?" Aerith still felt disoriented, closing her eyes. "But...where's Cloud?" Her mind seemed to be working slowly.

"Aerith..." Tifa sounded alarmed. "Who're you talking about? Who's Cloud?"

Aerith's eyes snapped open. She sat up, nearly hitting her head against Tifa and Yuffie's. "What do you mean?" She demanded, staring at the unfamiliar surroundings. Tall, whispering plant life was around them, shrouded in shadows and darkness. "Where is he? Why isn't he here?" She stood up, scraping her knees on the dark ground.

"Cloud!" Aerith called. Her voice echoed back at her weakly- _Cloud...Cloud...Cloud..._

Tears pricked her eyes. "CLOUD!" She screamed, throwing her head and shoulders back, hunched on the ground. A great rumble greeted her- a roll of thunder. Aerith fell onto her hands and knees, feeling the tears slide slowly down her face. "So..." She whispered. "Was it all...a dream? Or...an...illusion?"

"Aerith?'

She looked up, as another clap of thunder reverberated in the unnaturally dark sky. Behind the noise, Aerith was almost sure that she heard a scream.

Tifa and Yuffie looked frightened. Wringing her hands together, Tifa stepped forward cautiously. "Aerith...what's- what happened? What are you talking about?"

Aerith stared at her friends for a moment, before turning her face upward to feel the gently falling rain slide down her face. "Something. Someone more than a dream." A smile lit her face, teeth flashing. "I'm sure of it."

The rain slid down her cheeks as if her skin was made of porcelain.

Her eyes flashed open and she whirled around. "Marlene..."

Tifa and Yuffie exchanged a frightened glance. "She's not here, Aerith," Yuffie said quietly. "All we found was you, unconscious on the ground."

Aerith sank to her knees, pressing her palms to her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut. Never before had she felt so torn. Her heart seemed to seize upon itself. It did not split two ways, make one more demanding than the other, but rather tried to go both ways at once, knowing that it was unable to. She wanted to save Cloud, but she wanted to find Marlene too. Opening her eyes, she stared at her worried friends.

"This place...nothing is as it seems. There are many...illusions here. We have to be careful. Marlene...I think she is at that castle." Aerith pointed to the dark pinnacle rising in the distance.

"Then, that's where we have to go," Tifa said quietly.

Aerith nodded, standing. "I was trapped in an illusion when you found me. But I was let go by someone. I intended to take him with me, but I was pulled out before he could grab my hand..."

"Cloud?" Yuffie guessed.

"Yes." Aerith picked up her staff, which was lying on the ground a few feet away. Her boots, which in the illusion she had taken off, were still on her feet. "So if you see him...he has blonde hair, blue eyes, and...a black wing. Please, tell him that I want him to stay if I am not with you. And tell him where I am if you know; if we are to be separated." Drawing her shoulders back, Aerith gave a brave attempt at a smile.

"Come on, let's go."

~(~)~(~)~(~)~(~)~(~)~

Marlene found herself moving rhythmically, a slight swishing sound in her ears.

Slowly opening her eyes, she saw that she was engulfed in a red cloth. It swirled around her, twisting and curling and almost writhing. Marlene shrank back, clutching the doll Lucrecia- only to find that it was nowhere in her grasp.

_It's all right, dear one._ Lucrecia whispered in her head, voice very weak. _I am still here. It will be harder for me to speak with you for a while...but once you are in the castle, you won't need that doll anymore. This is Vincent, a...friend of mine. He is here to protect you._

Marlene nodded a little fearfully. "What happened?"

She felt her feet lightly touch the ground, and the redness around her swirled away. Standing before her was a tall man with midnight-colored hair, ghostly skin, and fire-red eyes. On one arm was a golden claw. A heavy red cloak- the cloth that had been spinning around her- was wrapped around his shoulders, covering the first half of his face. A red headband was tied in his long, untidy, hair. He stared down at Marlene with an expressionless face.

"Your presence here is no longer a secret," The man said, and his voice was deep, rough, and dark. "Sephiroth has been alerted to Lucrecia's actions."

Marlene stared up at him, eyes wide. "Is something bad going to happen now...?"

The man regarded her impassively. "Yes. But perhaps not to us."

Marlene gasped. "Momma-!" She was cut off by a shout. Whirling around, she saw a slightly glowing Lucrecia; staring past them, green eyes wide with fear. "Vincent, stop!" She cried, running forward. Marlene began to reach out, but was stopped as Lucrecia's weak voice rang in her mind.

_That is not me child! At least, not as I am today...I told you before that if you watched, you might learn something...This is an illusion, but it is also the truth._

The oddly solid, yet faintly glowing, Lucrecia was pleading with two men. One was tall, with black hair, and red eyes. He was charging toward the other man who was much shorter, with odd nondescript hair color, and beady spectacles. He was holding a gun.

Lucrecia shrieked- "Stop!"

The gunshot rang through the air. Marlene looked away, covering her ears, tears falling down her face. The blast of the gunshot had seemed to fly through her, reverberating in her body. She turned back around, staring at the huddled form of Lucrecia, crying as she pressed her hands into a wound coming from the past Vincent's head.

The man with the spectacles stood over them with a smirk. He lightly tossed the smoking gun to the side. "Well," He said. "What would you give to save him?"

Lucrecia looked up at the man, and though there was anger in her eyes, there was a desolation- desperateness too. She didn't answer.

The man smirked again. "How about his freedom, hmm?"

Their images faded.

Marlene blinked the last bit of tears from her eyes. "I don't understand..." She whispered. "What does all of that mean...?" She appealed to the tall, dark form of Vincent. He stared at her for a moment, and then looked at the towering castle walls.

"My freedom is not my own," He said. "But unlike everything else in this castle, I am not bound to Sephiroth."

~(~)~(~)~(~)~(~)~(~)~

The dark, heavy, door loomed above them, menacing and gargantuan.

The paneled surface was smooth- a dark wood that bore no cracks or signs of age. Two heavy brass knockers sat upon it, glimmering dully. No one had approached them as they came to the castle- no monsters had attacked.

But they could feel them there, watching and waiting.

And a great sound had swelled toward them as the approached- low, roaring, building as they grew closer- a sound that couldn't be signally defined. It sounded of tears and blood- of strife and hate. Anger, confusion, despair. The sound of battle.

The sound of ultimate suffering.

It terrified the three friends, nearly freezing them in place.

"What do we do?" Tifa whispered. "We can't just...walk in there!"

"You see any other way to get in?" Yuffie demanded. "Besides, Marlene might be held prisoner. If we're caught right away, they could bring us right to her!"

Both girls looked toward Aerith for her support in their case. Aerith stared up at the towering castle, eyes glittering faintly. "Nothing is as it seems," She whispered. "What we see right now, or what we hear, may not be what actually exists. We don't know what will be on the other side of that door- so prepare yourselves."

Tifa and Yuffie nodded, determination outmatching the fear on their faces.

Aerith lifted a pale hand, grasping the brass doorknocker in her fingers-

The world swirled around her, and Aerith felt herself descending into blackness; her friend's screams echoing in her ears.

~(~)~(~)~(~)~(~)~(~)~

When Yuffie woke, she found herself staring at a wall.

It was a stonewall, like one might perhaps see in a prison, smudged with dirt and weathered by time. A few trashcans leaned against it, and Yuffie frowned, trying to place the scene before her in her memory. She could have sworn that she had been here before...

She sat up, rubbing at the dirt on her clothing, wiping her hair from her eyes. She frowned. The walls around her were huge; she had to tilt her head up to see most of them. Faintly, she was sure that she could see the bottom of a roof, and a gutter...

It occurred to Yuffie that she was standing in an alleyway.

Something flashed in her mind- once again saying that this place was familiar, but she dismissed it. She began walking, trying to get some bearing of why she was suddenly in an alleyway.

"Aerith!" She called, cupping her hands around her mouth. "Tifa!" She took a deep breath. "Marlene!" Her voice echoed back at her, sounding strange and almost child-like in its echoes. Yuffie frowned, cursing.

Suddenly, her foot caught on something on the ground, and she stumbled, putting her hands out to catch herself. Panting, and wincing from her sore knees, Yuffie stopped, bent over, staring at her hands on the ground.

They couldn't be her hands...they were much too small...

She stood, touching her face and body, feeling for some sign of herself. Her hair was cut the way she had it as a child, held in two tiny ponytails on the sides of her head. The sight of the dirt encrusting her body, and the sudden rain on her face, staring at her muddy shoes and the alley floor, brought her memory back to her.

She knew where she was.

Yuffie flailed around with a gasp, eyes going wide. "No..." She whispered, and it was her childhood voice that spoke. "_No..._"

She saw them, then. Then dark, towering figures that surrounded another woman. The woman's long hair was falling out of its tie, and dark blood streaked her face. She tried to push one of the men away, but they slashed at her with something that shined silver in the faint light. The woman's eyes met hers, and suddenly Yuffie was right beside her, reaching out, tears falling down her face.

"Run, Yuffie!" The woman screamed, still struggling against her captors.

It was in that moment that Yuffie forgot about her friends and what was going on. She forgot about Marlene and everyone else she knew- this was the moment. This was real.

"Momma!" Yuffie shrieked.

Dark eyes, bleeding lips, eyes that cried red- red, red, and more red- everywhere, splattering the walls and pooling on the floor- pale hand reaching out, beseeching, ragged voice whispering, begging, pleading-

"_Run, Yuffie_..."

Run, run, she had to run, but they hurt momma, they made her spit red and now she's not moving but she has to get up, she has to, why isn't she moving? Cry, cry, cry, please, please, please momma, get up, you have to move, can't leave you here-

But she's dead, she's dead, and she won't wake up.

Yuffie tugged on the pale, still fingers, stared at the blood that had choked her mother- hands too tiny to do anything, too small so help, too weak- but it would all be over soon, it had to all be over soon, and one day she would find the bastards that did this and she would make them pay. Scream to the heavens, cry of breaking heart- it doesn't help anything but it makes it bearable, makes it easier-

Hands grabbed her, pulling her away from the foul, red, thing that used to be her mother, dragging her away and pushing her to the ground. Dark, evil, eyes, glaring, grinning- white teeth and scary smiles, hands reaching, pulling, rubbing-

But it wasn't supposed to happen this way. This isn't what happened-

But it's real, it's real, it's happening, and their hands are hurting, hurting, hurting, reaching up and touching, touching, touching- she tried to scream but it made no sound. She gathered all her breath and kicked and cried and tried to scream but nothing happened. Nothing happened and they hurt her, the broke something inside of her, and she knows this isn't what was supposed to happen, this isn't what happened-

But it hurts, it hurts, and why are they smiling when they know it hurts?

And they leave her there, bleeding, broken, alone, on the dead and dirty ground.

~(~)~(~)~(~)~(~)~(~)~

Tifa winced. She put a hand to the back of her head, rubbing it. "Ow..."

"Are you alright, Teef?" A middle-aged, dark-haired man poked his head around the doorframe. His wine-red eyes were filled with concern.

Tifa nodded, smiling. "I'm fine dad. I just have a headache."

He smiled. "Alright, princess. Drink more water." He disappeared behind the door again.

Her smile drooped. She sighed, leaning against her bed. She knew something was wrong. She wasn't sure what it was, but something was wrong. She felt...like there was something she had to be doing, someone she needed to help...Tifa shook her head, wincing again from the throbbing in her skull.

Sun streamed through her window, warming her body as she walked past it. Her fingers paused on the doorframe, and she called down the hall- "I'm going outside okay, dad?"

"Sure thing, just stay on this street!" Her father called from his workroom.

Tifa rolled her eyes, making her way downstairs and to the door. Tying back her long hair, she paused, just in front of the living room door, her heartbeat suddenly loud in her ears. Her breath halted in her throat, ending in a startled gasp. She turned, slowly, unsure of the feeling that had suddenly overtaken her. The chink of glasses from the kitchen made her realize what it was: there was someone in her house, besides her and her dad.

Slowly, she walked toward the kitchen doorway, clenching her fists, remembering everything she had learned about martial arts...this intruder was going to be sorry. With a slight cry, she jumped into the kitchen, fists raised and hair flying.

A red-haired man in a blue suit sat at her kitchen table, drinking quite calmly from a glass. Odd, electric-blue/green eyes focused on her and he gave a small smirk that seemed devoid of all emotion. Taking a swig from the glass, he set it down, giving a slight wave and a "Hey."

Tifa glared at him. "What are you doing here? Get out of my house!" She raised her fists threateningly, and the man put up his hands, leaning back in his chair, quite at ease.

"Whoa, there, now, relax." He said lazily. "While I'm sure you can hold your own, I'm afraid you wouldn't stand a chance. Just a fact- you wouldn't be able to touch me unless I let ya." He shrugged. "And don't bother calling your father, either-" he added, as Tifa opened her mouth again. "He won't be able to see me."

"What are you talking about?" Tifa growled. This guy was seriously getting on her nerves.

"Well, I'm not really here." The man twirled the glass in his fingertips, his other hand tucking into his jacket, pulling it casually back to reveal a sturdy-looking metal club. "Then again, neither are you. But that's beside the point."

"What?" This man was crazy; there was no other explanation.

The man rolled his eyes. "As to your earlier question, I'm here for a few reasons. One, because I was ordered too. I have a job to do and I'm going to do it. But I don't particularly care for the job that's been given to me. I know sometimes in work you've gotta do your share of dirty jobs, but in all honesty I've done more than my share and I've had enough. I have to do my job, but that doesn't mean that I can't do other things too- things that, if you shut up and listen, might just help you."

Tifa raised an eyebrow at the man's babbling. He was making no sense.

The man sighed. "Okay, look, I need you to do something for me, alright? Another reason I'm here is because I owe this guy a favor, and I hate owing anyone anything, so you'd better cooperate, kapeesh?" He rested his chin against his fist.

"I need you to think back, kay? Now, who're your friends?"

Tifa's eyebrows drew together. "I'm not giving you my friends' names! You'll show up in their kitchen's next!"

The man rolled his eyes again. "No, I won't. I can't, really. Just think about your friends, all right? You don't have to say their names out loud if it makes you feel better. I already know their names anyway, but whatever..."

Tifa frowned, wondering why she hadn't just popped him one yet. But something inside of her seemed to be saying to listen to him- to do as he said. She closed her eyes, thinking of her friends, their faces appearing in her mind as she said their names...

"Aerith..." She began. "Yuffie...Zack..." She frowned, and then blinked. "Um, that's it."

"No," The man said. "It isn't."

Tifa glared at him. "What do you mean? Don't you think I know my own friends?"

The man smirked. "You know them alright. But you seemed to have forgotten one." He leaned closer, eyes glinting. "Think back...there's one more friend, isn't there? You can see him in your head, can't you?"

"What do you mean?" Tifa shrank back a little, disliking how the man's words seemed to be coming true.

"Come on, think!" He insisted. "Someone you haven't always been nice to...someone you didn't even want to hang out with at first...but your other friends made you...he disappeared...or, wait, has that happened yet?" The man paused, seeming to consider something. "Oh, yeah, that doesn't happen 'till tonight, huh? But seeing as technically, tonight has already happened, the knowledge is in there somewhere, you've just gotta remember it..."

Tifa narrowed her eyes, even as images flashed through her mind of blonde hair and blue eyes. "You're crazy," She said flatly, crossing her arms.

The man grinned, though his eyes remained expressionless as ever. "Don't I know it," He muttered. "Come on, hurry it up, we don't have much longer."

"You expect me to do all this when I don't even know your name?" Tifa demanded, trying to distract him so that she could think...what was the name...? It was right there, she could feel it...

The man slapped a hand over his forehead. "It's Reno, alright? Do you have it yet?"

Tifa opened her mouth to snap at him, and then stopped, eyes going wide. Memories played like a roll of film in her head, words floating through her mind...

"_Hey...Strife..."_

_Blonde hair, blue eyes..._

"_What's your name?" Aerith asked, kind as always, curious and friendly._

"_I'm..."_

"Something..." Tifa murmured. "Something...to do...with the sky?"

Reno nodded, smirking again, some emotion finally entering his eyes. "Now you're getting there." He glanced behind him, down a hall toward her father's workshop. "Just a little longer,' He said to himself, but Tifa wasn't listening anyway.

_Blue eyes, shining and bright, a small, shy, smile. "Cloud..." He said. "I'm..._

"...Cloud..." Tifa whispered, fingers moving to her mouth in wonder.

Reno nodded, crossing his arms. "Congratulations," He said. "You got it."

The word was a trigger, and suddenly more memories passed over her eyes.

"_Cloud's gone!" _

"_Father, father! Who did this?"_

_Blood, there was so much blood..._

_Aerith...Yuffie...Zack..._

"_I feel like there's someone we're forgetting..."_

"_Who? I've known you all my whole life. It's just us."_

"_Can you believe it's been so many years since that night, Tifa? The night your father died?"_

_And on and on through the years, until it reached the present, and she could see Aerith, green eyes wide with despair, searching for her daughter, crying a name out to the heavens:_

"_CLOUD!!"_

Tifa put a hand to her forehead, stumbling backward. "My...father..." She mumbled, vision swimming. "I have to find...my father..." She walked dazedly forward, tripping over her feet as she wobbled through the doorway.

The door to her father's workshop was partway open.

"Hey..." Reno's face swam around her, and a warm hand grabbed her shoulder. "I know you're not going to listen...but, you shouldn't go in there..."

Tifa shook of his hand, feeling tears clog her throat, voice raw as it escaped her, wetness falling from her eyes. "Father..." She gasped, tumbling through the door. She caught herself on the wall, blurred vision moving around the room- seeing lightning flash in the broken window, a setting and scene oddly familiar, and she dropped to her knees, holding back a scream.

Her father's mutilated body lay broken on the ground before her.

Tifa let loose the scream she had been holding, stumbling blindly toward the obviously dead body, staring in disbelief as blood stained her clothes, running from her father's eyes and mouth, stomach gutted, twisted by something sharp and long, limbs bent awkwardly-

A shadowed man loomed above her, holding a glinting sword. He raised it high above his head, bringing it down to slice slowly along her arm, cutting deeply. Tifa cried out, jumping away from him, and then charging forward, tears clouding her vision and anger thudding in her veins-

A hand grabbed her shoulder, holding her back.

Tifa turned, punching the arm with all her might, but oddly kind, electric blue/green eyes stared down at her, calming her. Reno turned, his posture still lazy, not looking at the man with the sword, but instead toward the ceiling, calling out:

"Look, I did what you asked, alright? I kept her busy. But don't you think it's just a waste of time to hurt her in this? I mean, sure it'll leave imaginary scars, but when she wakes up, she'll know it wasn't real. Just seems like a waste of time." Reno shrugged. "That's just my opinion, boss. But maybe you should save this for when the wounds won't heal, y'know?"

The room began to blur, and Tifa felt herself growing older, the reality settling in, growing from her thirteen-year-old body, to her twenty-year-old one, moving away from the twisted memory that happened differently from how she remembered, moving away from the man with the sword- but not before he drew the blade slowly along her torso, in-between her breasts, and down her stomach, cutting deep and cruelly, in a way that made her feel sick beyond the pain. The world began to fade and she turned to see electric eyes staring at her with _feeling_, with apology, with encouragement, and hope.

"See ya," He said, as the whole world- and him along with it- turned black.

And Tifa found herself falling.

~~(~~)~~

END OF CHAPTER

* * *

Yay! I'm pretty sure that I know how the next chapter will go, so...yeah. Oh, and yes, what you're thinking happend with Yuffie, is what happened. Well, not really. Someone was just twisting her worst memory...more about that next chapter, I swear! Anyway, reviews:

obsessive sasuke: Thank you! As you can see, I wrote more, though not as soon as I'd hoped...

FairLockheart: Glad you like! Though this wasn't 'soon', I hope you enjoy!

Drake Clawfang: Yeah, sorta seems like Beauty and the Beast at first, huh? Pretty far off though. XD That's alright, my sister thought the same thing. I did use the KH outfit for a reason that will be revealed...

Narnian Magic: Actually, I have a very low-tolerance for horror as well. No shame in that. :) Glad you liked it though!

Princess of the Knight: I love your username by the way. Thank you! Yep, Cloud's full of angst. XD

greensally: Yeah, that's one of my favorites too. Hope you like this one as well!

Anyway, that's it! Once again, sorry that it took so long to update. And happy thanksgiving everyone! I wrote a C/A thanksgiving one-shot last year called 'Of all Things', if anyone's interested, and I recently came out with two other clerith one-shots, as well as a new chapter on 'Piece of Me'.

Reviews make me write faster, and smile inside!

'Till next time!

~AerithHeart


	5. MentalBreak

Hello! I know it's been a while, but hey- an update's an update, right? Oh, and, yes, things are supposed to be a bit confusing. A couple of things sort of got away from me, so I have to do some serious outlining, but I think it will all come together in the end. Also, this chapter is a bit graphic. Not enough for an M rating, I think, but correct me if I'm wrong. Enjoy, and please review!

I don't own FF7, or any related characters. In fact, a few feel a little OOC in this...

Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Five

MentalBreak

She sighed. The sun shone lightly through the window. Her hands folded in her lap, thumbs moving slightly over each other. A bit of hair fell over her eyes as she bent her head. Her shoulders slumped.

Something inside of her seemed to twitch- to flash a warning. Something wasn't right. But what could be wrong? She was living as she had been for the past few years...

_-a black thing reached out for her, eyes glowing-_

She jerked upright at the faint reel of memory passed over her eyes, rubbing her head. She had such a headache.

"Aerith?"

She turned, smiling a little at the man in her doorway. "Yes, Barret?"

He shuffled a little, hands in his pockets. "I jus' wanted to thank ya for watchin' Marlene so much for me. It's hard, not seein' her as much as I'd like, but I feel better knowin' that she's with you. You're a good girl, Aerith." He gave one of his gruff smiles, light glinting off of his shining black forehead.

Aerith stood and smiled. "It's no problem at all, Barret. She's wonderful. I'm glad that I've gotten to know her. Is Myrna bringing her by on her way to work?"

Barret nodded. "Yeah, I jus' figured I'd stop by on my way 'round the mountain. I should be back by eight...but Myrna might come before me, 'round seven or so..." He looked a little worried. "Sorry about the lateness an' all..."

Aerith smiled. "It's no problem. It was my break day anyway. It's not as if I'm the only healer in town!" She laughed. "And the flower shop is being managed by Yuffie. Don't worry so much; I love spending time with Marlene. She's like the sister I never had."

Barret shook his head. "I 'preciate it- though I don't know how you can trust that ninja girl to watch over your flowers." He scowled, though his eyes showed his humor.

Aerith laughed again. "Yuffie will be fine. Bored maybe, but fine. I am positive that the shop will still be standing tomorrow."

Barret chuckled, and then backed out the doorway. "You know how to contact me if there's any problems. I'll see ya later, Aerith." With that, he was out the door. Aerith walked over to the window and watched him walk out of her house, waving at Myrna as she pulled up. The older woman got out of her car and spoke briefly to her husband, seeming almost concerned. He waved her off. She rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. Barret seemed to shrink back a little and nodded. Myrna smiled, and then waved up at Aerith, opening the back seat of the car and pulling out the two-year-old Marlene, who bounced up and down on the sidewalk, grinning.

Aerith walked out the door and into the hall, passing the familiar pictures of her mother and father, making her way to the living room and opening up the door just in time to be tackled in the legs by a very energetic little girl.

"Aery!" Marlene cheered. Aerith laughed, prying the little girl off of her legs. "I'm glad to see you too kiddo." She looked up at Myrna, who smiled at her, though her expression was a little worried. Aerith frowned, and cocked her head to one side, eyes asking the older woman a silent question.

Myrna's eyebrows furrowed a little, and she bit her lip. "I'm just nervous...going anywhere near _that place_. Too much has happened there for me to not be...anxious. Barret and I are rarely called there for anything, so going there now makes me worried about what we might find along the way."

Marlene, still a bit young to completely grasp what was going on, said: "Mommy, why you sad?"

Myrna smiled, bending down to her daughter. "I'm not sad sweetie. I'm just anxious to get back home to you after this. But daddy and I have to work, so we won't see you for a while, okay?"

Marlene frowned. "Do you hafta go?"

Myrna smiled again, her eyes still tight. "I'm afraid so, sweetheart. But you'll have so much fun here with Aerith you'll hardly miss us." She leaned forward, giving the child a tight hug and a kiss on the forehead. "I'll see you soon, Marlene." She stood up, blowing her gently graying black hair out of her face, taking a deep breath. "I convinced Barret to wait for me so we could drive past there together, so I have to go now, or we'll both be late." Once again, her smile did not reach her eyes.

Aerith could understand her worry. After all, many strange things had happened around the mountain-

_-A terrified boy with blue eyes screamed, the black things reaching for them all, and she felt the boy push her back, Zack grabbing her arm at the same time so that she toppled over on top of him, and the black thing missed her, and turned to the blue-eyed boy-_

Aerith blinked, and shook her head, her right temple throbbing steadily. She clasped Myrna's hands. "Everything will be fine. I'll see you later, and I'll call if there's any problems."

Myrna looked grateful, and nodded. She took a few steps from the door, and then looked back, her smile so fragile, like broken glass that had been clumsily glued together, her eyes a little wet with tears that didn't fall.

"Bye," She said, and turned, walking the rest of the way to her car, driving off with her husband right behind her. Aerith watched their cars fade, and then looked down at Marlene, who grinned at her, the few teeth that she had recently gotten gleaming.

Aerith tried to force down all the worry she felt, the sudden thumping of her heart. She clapped her hands together. "Come on Marlene, let's have some fun."

The little girl giggled, and they were off.

~(~)~(~)~(~)~(~)~(~)~

Zack cursed vividly, punching the wall so hard that the whole house shook. _Enough of this, _he thought. It had been two days. Maybe he was being impatient, but he was tired of waiting. He should have gone with them in the first place!

Well, that was that. He was pissed at himself for not insisting to go, but there was only one remedy for that: to go after them. Better late than never, right? Unless it was too late. _Don't think like that,_ he told himself frantically.

It wasn't as if he didn't care about Marlene- he honestly doubted whether anyone would be able to find a sweeter little girl. It also wasn't as if he didn't care about Aerith. Far from it- they were best friends, and at that moment were still husband and wife. Even if things hadn't exactly worked out for them, he still loved her. As a friend, or as something more, it didn't matter. He loved her. He wanted to help her and Marlene, and Tifa and Yuffie, who had been his friends as long as he could remember.

But first...

He went into his room, grabbing his sword. The sword that had belonged to the man that had raised him for half of his life, before he, too, died. Zack shook his head, taking a deep breath as he remembered the man that had been a combination of mentor and, if not father, then perhaps uncle.

He swung the sword around, testing it. The weight felt good in his hands, as it always did. He clipped it to his back, and ran out the door into his own car.

The drive took a number of minutes. It was the place where Marlene had last been spotted, the place where so many had disappeared, or died.

He pulled to the side of the road, getting out of the car, eyes narrowed.

He had avoided this place, just like everyone else, for most of his life.

It didn't look frightening. Trees grew up along the gentle slope of the mountain, and the road went straight for a long while, completely flat, giving the illusion that nothing would be able to sneak up on you as you drove along. One hand gripped his Buster Sword, the other hand in a tight fist. He took a step forward, and gasped, images flashing over his eyes-

-_He was gone, he was gone, and Zack didn't know what to do, didn't know what to say-_

_-and Aerith screamed, and blue eyes flashed, mixing with his own scream as he was dragged up and away, the adults that came to their rescue too late-_

Zack opened his eyes, gritted his teeth, and walked forward. There had to be some sign of, well, _something_! Footprints, some evidence of a struggle...

There! Something small and white, no bigger than the average leaf. Swallowing past the queasiness that automatically made it's way up his throat the longer he stood there; Zack went to the waving piece of cloth. He ran it over his gloved fingers, nodding. _Definitely Marlene's, from her nightgown_. Well, it was a start.

He took a look around again. It was hard to believe, just by looking, that so many bad things had happened here...

_-because it was his fault, his fault, he hadn't been able to save him-_

Zack shook his head, running his other hand through his hair. _Get a hold of yourself, Fair,_ he thought. _This is no time to loose it!_

Bad things had happened here- horrible things. He knew that, and yet...

A headache rippled across his skull, and he nearly collapsed at the force of it. "Damn it," he hissed. "Why can't I remember...?" There was something, some reason he had to come here, to try and make himself remember, remember that thing, that time, when he had failed, when he had lost-

_-"They took him," Aerith cried. "Why? Why would they take him?!-_

"They took him..." Zack mumbled, leaning against a tree as he stumbled slightly. "They took him...we couldn't...I couldn't...save him..."

_-"It's all my fault," she sobbed. "They took him, Zack! They took Cloud!"-_

With a loud gasp, he righted himself, reeling, nearly falling backward. He had to go up the mountain. Now. They had to get Marlene, and get Aerith out of there.

"Cloud..." He whispered. "Cloud..." And there it was, the memories playing in his mind- flashes of the little boy with his big blue eyes, and shy smiles, the little boy who at one time had not been so little, but had been his best friend. Cloud.

Cloud had been taken, all those years ago. And now Marlene was gone, taken as well. That place had taken, it had killed, some that he had known, others he had not, and now he knew- now he knew that Cloud and Marlene had been taken for a reason.

And that reason was Aerith.

~(~)~(~)~(~)~(~)~(~)~

"Marlene!" Aerith skidded to a stop outside of the hallway. A giggle reached her ears, and she smiled in spite of herself. "Marlene," She scolded lightly, walking toward the little girl and snagging her around the waist before she could run away again, "It's your bedtime."

The little girl shook her head. "Uh-uh!"

Aerith rolled her eyes, smiling. She bent over, putting her face right up to Marlene's. "Uh-huh!" She insisted.

Marlene shook her head again. She wriggled, trying to push her way out of Aerith's grip. The older girl held her securely. "Marlene," She said sternly.

Marlene looked up at her pleadingly. "No! I'm not goin' to bed 'till mommy comes!"

Aerith smiled, even as she felt an odd pang inside of herself. "Marlene, I can understand, but it's getting late. If nothing else, get ready for bed, alright?"

Marlene considered this, lips jutted out in a pout. "...Okay." She said finally. Aerith set her down, and Marlene scampered off down the hallway. Aerith shook her head, and straightened, yawning. It was only eight thirty. Barret had phoned an hour ago saying that they would be back just a little bit later than he'd said, probably close to nine. She was glad that Marlene was lucky in adoptive parents, like she had been. Not everyone was, and Marlene deserved wonderful parents that loved her very much.

Aerith sucked in a sharp breath, pressing her fingertips to her forehead. She had such a headache-

_-and their fingers were reaching out to each other, but it wasn't enough-_

Aerith bit back a gasp, and shook her head. She stumbled backward a little, bracing herself against the wall. Her head throbbed, and her heart pounded, fear spiking her veins. But why? What was wrong? What could possibly be happening?

She had never felt this way before, not even when her mother had died, and she had known it before anyone else had, even though she hadn't even been there at the time...

"Aery?" Marlene's voice came from behind her. "Do you have an ouchie?"

Aerith turned, and smiled at the little girl. "I just have a headache, honey. Come on," She held out her hand. "Let's go sit at the couch by the window." She grasped the small fingers in her own and led her into the living room, trying to ignore the fear that still made her heart pound, and her head twist worriedly at every odd sound.

They went through about eight rounds of patty cake before Marlene's eyelids started drooping. Outside, lightning flashed. Aerith jumped a little, frowning at the dark sky. That was odd. It hadn't looked like it would rain earlier...

Marlene tried to stifle a yawn, but Aerith caught her, and raised an eyebrow. The little girl blinked rapidly several times, trying to straighten up. "No bed!" She said, valiantly keeping her eyes wide open for about five seconds before they drooped again. Aerith bit back a laugh. "Alright Marlene, if you say so. But, you know, if you wanted, it's okay to close your eyes for a second. You wouldn't be sleeping, you'd just be resting your eyes..."

Marlene blinked, nearly shutting her eyes right away at Aerith's words. She shook her head and blinked a few more times. "No sleep..." she mumbled, eyes closing and then seeming to drag themselves open again for a few more moments.

Aerith smiled, gently leaning the young girl back against the couch, laying her legs out straight, tucking some hair behind her little ear as her brown eyes fluttered and closed again-

_-Where was Marlene? Where was her daughter? She had to find her-_

Aerith jerked back, breathing uneven, shaking her own head as if trying to get rid of her tiredness, heart thumping madly. What was going on? What had she just seen? It had felt so real-

_-memories overlapped, Tifa-Zack-Marlene-Yuffie-Marlene-blue eyes-Barret-a little doll with bright green eyes-her real mom- Elmyra, her adoptive mom-Marlene-blue eyes-Tifa-Yuffie-Zack-blue eyes-black tentacles reaching, groping, grabbing-death-death-death-gone-gone-gone-blue eyes-Marlene-that night-wrong, all wrong-dancing-stars-wrong-_

She fell backward, landing on her side off of the couch, eyes closed tight, hands coming up to her head as tears collected in her eyes. What was going on?! Why was this happening?! What were these things she was seeing?

Her head felt as if it was going to burst open, right down the middle. Suddenly, her eyes flew open, and she gasped. Almost catlike, she jumped up, and crawled quickly to the window, staring at it, hair falling in front of her eyes. "Barret," She breathed, stepping backward shakily. "Myrna...oh _no_!"

Aerith ran. She grabbed the staff her birth mother had given her, and went out the door, worried eyes glancing at Marlene before shutting and locking it. The rain poured down on her in sharp pellets, lighting flashing, thunder seeming to vibrate the very ground as she ran, breath coming in heaving gasps. She should have taken a car, but there was no time to get hers started, there was no time, no time-

_-black things, horrible things, reaching, screaming, tearing-_

Her feet slipped, getting cut open, for she had not even grabbed her boots. Her toes scrabbled against rock and dirt, mud making her path slick, frantic steps unsteady and flailing. She tripped, and she started crying out, for what, she didn't know, but this couldn't happen, she couldn't let it happen, she had to try and stop it-

_-she hadn't been able to stop her mother from dying, either mother, but she had to try, she had to get there in time, even though she had failed with not only them, but with Cloud, too-_

She climbed her way up a hill, low hanging branches cutting at her skin, tangling in her hair, pulling at her like clawed fingers, as the forest at the base of the mountain teemed with screeches and moving things, black things that stared at her. She could feel them; feel their eyes as her hands pushed away at the wooden fingers that scraped her forehead and arms. Water ran into and from her eyes, her head turning about frantically, as she turned a corner-

_-and there was nothing she could do; there was no hope, no nothing-_

She screamed, her voice coming out raw, twisting, as she tripped and fell, knees scraping, palms stinging, mud and water splashing in her face as another bought of lightning scorched the sky.

Two cars were before her, mud-splattered and wrecked, crashed and crumpled, black creatures teeming out of the forest, reaching with long fingers toward a screaming Myrna, who was pinned to her seat, the steering wheel pressed up against her chest, as one of the creatures reached through the broken glass and pulled, Myrna's screaming cutting off abruptly as the creature pulled too hard, and the glass cut what was left of her, the pinned steering wheel holding down the rest-

Aerith couldn't move, she didn't know why she literally _couldn't move._ Her limbs wouldn't move, no matter how hard she tried, and her head would not turn away, nor would her eyes close against the sight that she desperately wished she could un-see, but her body didn't seem to belong to her anymore, and this couldn't be happening, this couldn't be happening, it couldn't be, she hadn't-

_-she fell forward and was violently sick, the others around her gasping and crying as they stared at what they had been too late to change, as always-_

Barret screamed his wife's name, as one of the creatures grabbed hold of him by one arm, the other dangling uselessly, the tentacle-like fingers wrapping around him even as he kicked and screamed and struggled, wrapping around his limbs and stilling him, covering his mouth.

"_**This one is strong,"**_ a voice seemed to rumble from the very shadows, louder than the thunder. _**"The Master says to bring him. Perhaps he will be of some use."**_

And the strange shadows converged, the towering monsters swarmed upon Barret, who continued to struggle violently, eyes passing over her as if she wasn't there, as if she didn't exist-

But then shouts came from behind her.

Aerith found her head turning against her will, turning like a screw that has rusted and can hardly move as she fought against whatever force was holding her. Her eyes widened, and she tried to talk, tried to scream.

For it was Zack that was running up the hill, Zack and Tifa and Yuffie, her shuriken clutched tightly in her hand. Behind them were others, people she knew from around town- Jessie, Elena, Reeve, and Tseng, all with their own types of weapons raised; everything from dinner knives to old pitchforks, to the best of swords or guns.

Rain dripped down Zack's face, rolling past his nose as he glared at the creatures, sharing a quick glance with Tifa and Yuffie before they charged, the others behind them. Aerith struggled, trying to reach out a hand to them, for what she didn't know, but they went past her, not even glancing at her as she lay prone on the muddied road, held down like a heavy slab of stone was pressing down on her, breathing short and gasping.

The black things turned to them, and converged, gliding toward them, the one holding Barret going around, and up into the trees, disappearing.

Jessie was the first to die.

The black creature dived at her, and she screamed, even as she made a wild swipe with the pitchfork she was holding, the creature stopped in front of her, and slashed with it's tentacle like claws at her, slicing her clean through so that she crumpled, a shredded mass of skin and blood that lay like ripped clothing on the ground.

Elena fell not long after, screaming in defiance and firing her gun to the last moment, sliding on her knees in the slick mud, as one of the creatures beheaded her, the blood following the severed limb in an arc. Her body fell slowly, limply.

Zack, Tifa, and Yuffie were holding their own as best as they could, but the shadowed creatures fought harder, and did not seem to tire.

Tseng was stabbed in the gut, one of the creatures having punched him, its fist going completely through his body, as if it was as sharp as a sword blade, breaking Tseng's spine, the older man falling suddenly, swiftly, like a puppet whose string has been cut.

All she could do was watch helplessly as one by one, people that she had come to know and love died before her eyes.

It took two of the creatures each to take down Tifa and Yuffie, who fought with swinging fists until the end, when the darkness swarmed on them, ripping them apart, their screams cutting off just as Myrna's had, horribly, the ringing silence worse than their piercing screams-

And Zack screamed too, screamed their names harshly, as his sword arced again and again, almost seeming to pass through the monsters as if they were no more than wisps of smoke.

This couldn't be happening, this couldn't be happening, it wasn't right, it wasn't true, it couldn't be-

_-Zack told her not to look, not to look at the remains of the older woman that had been Marlene's mother-_

There was something on the edge of her mind, she was just missing it, but it was there, and she concentrated on that something as hard as she could, trying to close her eyes, turn her face away from the horror before her, trying to turn off the sound of her friends screams, even as she desperately watched, Zack, still swinging his sword, even as the creatures tore at him, striking his flesh and making him bleed, he fought on, yelling and screaming in terrible anger.

She had to think! Because this couldn't be true, it couldn't be happening, it couldn't, it wasn't-

Zack twisted in the air, giving an almighty swing even as the creatures converged on him. One of the creatures lifted it's hands, which were shaped almost like swords, and swung at Zack as he spun, catching him midair, separating his torso from his legs, his sword falling from his broken body-

It wasn't, it couldn't be-

He seemed to turn slowly in the air as he fell, legs spinning away from him, light leaving his eyes as they found her, his arm reaching out toward her, and she somehow was able to close her eyes-

-real.

_-Cloud-Marlene-Tifa-Yuffie-Zack-Marlene-Cloud-Tifa-Zack-Yuffie-_

It wasn't real. Her eyes opened suddenly.

Aerith jerked, and everything, everywhere, stopped.

Slowly, the scene around her seemed to vanish, slipping away, leaving her trembling slightly, panting, fists clenched on the ground even as everything went away. Her head darted around, and she climbed to her feet. "What's going on?!" She called into the nothingness. "None of that was real! What are you doing to me?! And what have you done with my friends?!"

There was no answer, but a soft chuckle seemed to come from behind her. Aerith whirled around. No one was there. Aerith felt tears prick her eyes. The darkness threatened to swallow her up, and she took a few steps backward. "I want my daughter," She said quietly, her voice somehow all the more fierce for it's volume. "And I want my friends, and Cloud. Where are they?"

"Ahhh, getting specific now, are we?" A mocking male voice spoke from the darkness, just to her left.

Aerith's head snapped around, and out of the darkness a man stepped. He had blonde hair, spiked, and eyes as blue and wide as Cloud's. But the eyes were cold, like chips of ice. He leaned back, and the darkness seemed to solidify behind him, so it was as if he was leaning against a wall. He crossed his arms, smirking. He wore a suit, like only the very rich could afford.

"...Who are you?" Aerith asked.

The man stared at her, ignoring her question. He looked her up and down, and then nodded to himself. "I see. You are quite beautiful. And your eyes- they're very deep. Like they can tell everything about a person just by looking at them. I see why he's so fond of you."

"What are you talking about?"

The man continued to ignore her, almost talking to himself. "Yes...and you really figured it out? Of course, yours was almost the easiest one. Your friends all experienced things that they actually witnessed, so it would be much harder..."

"_What are you talking about?_" Aerith hissed, getting frustrated. "You did...whatever all of that was, you did it, didn't you? What I was seeing...you did that to me, right? Are you saying you did it to Tifa and Yuffie too?!"

The man's eyes went directly to hers for the first time, and his lips twisted in a smile. He stood, and began walking toward her. Aerith reached behind her back, pulling out her staff and leveling it at him. He started laughing.

"Very brave of you, but I'm afraid it won't do you much good here. What you just saw, where we are now, none of it's real, you see...but what is real beyond this illusion? How can we tell? I don't know anymore, but what does it matter?" He stopped, just in front of her staff, and she crouched a little more, making her grip tighter.

"Tell me what is going on," She said, her voice still surprisingly calm.

He looked at her for a few moments with a raised eyebrow. "Well, you already partially figured it out for yourself. But, yes, I suppose there are some holes in your knowledge..."

"Stop this!" Aerith cried, advancing on him. "Tell me what is going on! Tell me where my daughter is! And my friends, and Cloud! Tell me where they are!"

"Bossy, aren't you?" He asked snidely. He put his hands in his pockets, seeming at ease, though something in his eyes darkened. "There is a puppet master in all of this, as I'm sure you've guessed. The real question is; how many of us are truly his puppets? And how many of us puppets no longer want to be?"

Aerith stared at him, eyebrows coming together. For a moment she didn't say anything. "...Stop with these questions," She said finally. "Tell me where the others are, and what is going on here!" He stared at her for a moment, before giving a cold smile.

"My name is Rufus," He said. "Do you find me sadistic, Miss Gainsborough?"

She blinked. "What?"

The man's smirk vanished, and his eyes became almost bleak, while still somewhat cold. He took his hands out of his pockets. "I was sent here to torture your mind, in the worst way I could find. I was to torture the minds of you, and of your friends. It's something I have a knack for- easily seeing what hurts people the most. One of the things I inherited from my father. I was told to break all of your minds, to the point where you would not struggle or fight. It's something I've done often. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's not. You and your friends all have some rather...interesting memories. Some of which seem to have been hidden from you, though I can't say how..."

"I don't understand what you're talking about," Aerith insisted. She didn't lower her staff.

The man shrugged. "Well, it is complicated, I suppose. But I can't really explain the whole to you, I'm afraid. I don't understand the whole myself. But let's just say this: I'm a puppet who wants to cut my strings, and walk without my master. What I do to people doesn't work if they realize that it's fake- that's just how it is. I am neither evil, nor good. I could be either, if pressed correctly. I like power, I'll admit. But I was kidnapped into this slavery, and the last thing I want to do is benefit the power of the slave master."

Aerith drew back, just a little. "What are you saying...?"

Rufus smiled. It was both pleasant, and frightening, and it made her wary. "I am going to help you, if I can."

"Then help me!" Aerith insisted.

The man shook his head, almost pityingly. "Not that simple, you should know that. My strings haven't been cut yet, after all. Hell, I'll get trapped in one of my own illusions for this. But we've got time. The master is away for a while." His eyes hardened. "I'm going to tell you as much as I can, and maybe you can figure out the rest. So listen, got it?"

Aerith's lips thinned, but she nodded warily.

"Good. Yes, I made you go through that nightmare of an illusion." Rufus's voice was lofty. "But you realized that it wasn't real, unlike your friends. They're illusions, were very real to them, for the simple reason that my master was breathing down my neck, and wasn't sure I still wanted to be his puppet. Hate me for that if you wish, because yes: I put your friends through a lot of pain. And as a result, they're being held prisoner. Now, my master wants you. He's been after you ever since he learned of your existence, which is something your mother tried to keep a secret for as long as she could. Both of your mothers, actually. Because you've got just as much power as my master does, if not more. And because, like him, you don't come from the town in which you grew up. You know you that you have magic, right?"

"...Yes." Aerith stared at him, unsure what to make of his words.

"That's a start. But you don't know everything that you can do. My master has an idea of that. Which is why he wants you. Even though you might be able to stop him, he also wants to use you. I don't know what for. But the key to solving all of this is with that doll your daughter picked up, understand? As well as the doll's guardian. And with your friends. They all have a part to play in this too, unless I'm wrong. And I'm never wrong." He glanced up, as though he was looking at the sky to tell what the time was. "My master wants you to come to him, beaten and weak in mind so that he can easily use you. But that is not what's going to happen."

He looked straight at her. "Ever wonder why no one moved from the town, even though so many dangerous things happened there? Or why those that did say they were moving just seemed to vanish? My master is building an army, so that he can take on the world. He took people that were strong, or young and fit, young enough to be brainwashed, so that he could do this. He wants to take on the world, and the company that once had a branch in the mountains here. The company that was responsible for spawning him, making him as he is. My father's company. But there's more to it than that, I just don't know what."

Rufus looked at the sky again. "I'm going to tell you where you can find the cages. Along the way, you'll meet someone that's going to try and hurt you as much as she can. The cages are farther away that they'll look, and the castle is larger than it seems. Nothing will be as it seems, remember that. Your daughter should be with Vincent right now, along with that doll. She's safe for the moment, though I don't know how long that will last. My master knows she's here, and as soon as he returns, he will go after her. But Vincent isn't tied to my master, and neither is the doll. Once you're close to the cages, the red light will tell you where to go. From there, follow the green light. Even if you can't see it, you should be able to feel it."

Aerith hardly knew at all what he was talking about; she struggled to mentally keep up as he continued.

"I'm sure Cloud is as desperate to find you, as you are to find him. He'll probably be in the cages as well. Remember: nothing is as it seems. Try and unlock your memories. If you find Cloud, he can help you. I'm going to drop you off right where you were- just inside the castle. There will be a lot of monsters, but they won't kill you. Sneak around as much as you can, and if you can't, use your magic. They won't like that."

Everything started to fade again, including Rufus, as he stepped back. "You'll get to the point where my master's puppets will be falling away from him. When that time comes, I'll find my way there, and you can decide if I'm your enemy or not." He smiled, and leaned closer to her. "You never did say, whether or not you find me sadistic, Miss Gainsborough. Well?"

Aerith stared hard at him, even as everything began to swirl around her, and his smirking face began to fade. "I don't know," She said, her voice surprisingly strong. "But I don't think so."

She got only a slight glimpse of his surprise, before she fell away from everything.

~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~

END OF CHAPTER

* * *

Ah, Rufus...I haven't written much of him. In one of my other FF7 stories, he's a complete a-hole, so I felt a little odd making him less of one...he's sort of an anti-her I guess, which is sort of how Rufus strikes me anyway. But, I could be wrong. And, I totally stole his 'sadistic' line from Kill Bill. I love that line. :D

Hope this illuminates a few things that have been going on, and answers a few questions. But it probably raises just as many as it answers! Sorry the update took so long...I just updated my CA FF7 Piece of Me story too. That one is a little more outlined than this one is, but I'm not abandoning this story, I promise!

Reviews:

Superis: Wow, thank you. I've never really done mysterious stories, so this is quite fun for me!

: Haha, glad you like so much, I'm flattered. :) Sorry, no updating soon. An update though!

Princess of the Kinght: Hello! Cloud angst is fuuuun, even if it makes me cry. I think angst is a writers' best friend. :D And yeah, Tifa is not a spiteful bitch. She annoys me sometimes, but I DO like her. She's Aerith's best friend, something I really get to delve into in 'Piece of Me'. Thanks for the review, and I'm really glad you like so much!

That's it!

Okay, no promises on the next chapter, but I will work on it. Reviews honestly help me to write faster!

Hope you all enjoyed. 'Till next time. :)


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